Remembering the Iron Man of India

LUCKNOW l SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. UPENG/2020/80229 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 317
Aditi Nagar
t was in a dusty vil-
lage of Gujarat called
Nadiad, that a child
was born on October
31, 1875. Hailing from
a simple family, the
child showed an inclination
to study and do
well and at a
time when handful of Indians
actually went for ‘modern educa-
tion’, this child learned and be-
came a barrister. However, little
did his family, friends and col-
leagues know, this individual, in
years to come, would have per-
haps the most profound impact
on India and its political unity,
for this was no other than the
Iron Man - Vallabhbhai Jhaverb-
hai Patel. Often called Sardar,
meaning “chief” in Hindi, Urdu,
and Persian, Patel acted as Home
Minister during the political in-
tegration of India and the Indo-
Pakistani War of 1947. It is to his
untiring efforts and tenacity that
the India of today exists as he did
the unimaginable work of get-
ting over five hundred royal
states accede to India. His com-
mitment to national integration
in the newly independent coun-
try was total and uncompromis-
ing, earning him the sobriquet
“Iron Man of India”. He is also
remembered as the “patron saint
of India’s civil servants” for hav-
ing established the modern All
India Services system. It was
therefore befitting that ‘The Stat-
ue of Unity’, the world’s tallest
statue being approximately 182
metres (597 ft) in height, was
dedicated to him on 31 October
2018 by Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi, as an ode to the one
man whose will carved and en-
tire nation! First India remem-
bers the Iron man on his
birth anniversary!
Incidentally, Union
Home Minister
Amit Shah, who
is often called
the ‘modern
Iron Man’,
is in Guja-
rat today
.
THE SARDAR WHO
DREAMED OF A
UNITED BHARAT!
TODAY WE REMEMBER THE IRON MAN OF INDIA
SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL ON HIS JAYANTI
I
Narendra Modi Amit Shah

PERSPECTIVE
LUCKNOW | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021
02
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Vol 1 Issue No. 317
RNI NO. UPENG/2020/80229.
Printed and published by
Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of
First Express Publishers. Printed
at Amar Ujala Ltd. B-5 Amausi
Industrial Area Kanpur Road Luc-
know. Published at 98, Friend’’s
Colony, Raheem Nagar, Dudouli
Road, Madiyaon, Lucknow (UP).
Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra.
Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan
responsible for selection of news
under the PRB Act
Promoted by First India
News International Pvt. Ltd.
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
Better it is to live one
day seeing the rise and
fall of things than to
live a hundred years
without ever seeing the
rise and fall of things.
—Buddha
IN-DEPTH
Jagat Prakash Nadda
@JPNadda
India is a vibrant and inclusive
democracy, where the Christian
community has played a pivotal role
in areas like politics, films, business
armed forces. Under Modi Ji’s
leadership India is marching ahead on
the path of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,
Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’.
Smriti Z Irani
@smritiirani
My gratitude to @nsgblackcats for
commemorating Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav by visiting historical landmarks
of freedom struggle and paying homage
to freedom fighters martyrs through
Sudarshan Bharat Parikrama.
TOP TWEETS
MODI MEETS POPE
AS CHRISTIANS IN
INDIA COMPLAIN
OF PERSECUTION
nternational Catholic
newsweekly
,TheTab-
let, carried a report in
July stating that
ChristianandMuslim
minoritieswerebeingpersecuted
in India. Quoting a report, The
Tablet said, “Daily life for many
Christian and Muslim communi-
ties in urban and rural India has
become an excruciating struggle
to earn a living and practise their
faith while also remaining alive
and under the radar of far-right
Hindutva organizations…” A re-
portintheVaticanNewssaidthat
“persecution against Christians
inIndiarosebyover40percentin
the first half of 2020, despite na-
tionwide lockdown”.
Hindu vigilante groups attack
Christians alleging conversions
and it is doubtful if the issue
would have come up between
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Pope Francis when the for-
mer met the head of Roman
Catholics at the Vatican. The
prime minister has invited the
Pope to visit India, a welcome
gesture. Though before the Pope
comes calling, a few of the viru-
lent Hindu vigilante groups
have to be reined in.
I
amata Banerjee
has reached Goa
where, in a kind
of Gandhigiri,
she said she did
‘namaste’ with folded hands
to those who welcomed her
with black flags on arrival in
Panaji. That was a different
approach from the “Khela
hobe” gauntlet she threw in
front of Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi in West Bengal
where a Jai Shri Ram slogan
at a non-political event drew
the battle-lines between Tri-
namool Congress and the
BJP. Besides black flags,
Mamata was welcomed by
Jai Shri Ram posters along-
side TMC posters claiming
“Goa’s New Dawn” (Goenchi
Navi Sakal). Despite being
made to bite the dust by Kol-
kata’s street-fighter in West
Bengal, BJP’s Amit Malviya
tweeted, “Mamata Banerjee’s
reputation of being anti-Hin-
du in Bengal has tailed her to
Goa, where she is being wel-
comed with giant size posters
of Jai Shri Ram.” Mamata
remained unruffled as she
mingled with fishermen in a
crowded fish market. To un-
derstand the political signifi-
cance of her move one has to
go back a few months back, in
July this year, when Mamata
met Congress chief Sonia
Gandhi sparking rumours of
Opposition unity. Her Goa
visit has virtually dashed all
hopes of Opposition unity as
she readies the TMC to take
on not only the BJP but also
the Congress, Sharad Pa-
war’s Nationalist Congress
Party
, Shiv Sena and the Aam
Aadmi Party, besides eight
regional parties. Although it
is unclear at this stage if the
TMC will ally with the NCP
and any of the regional par-
ties, Congress won’t be in her
scheme of things as she bids
for a pan-India presence.
MAMATA GOES TO GOA,
DOES GANDHIGIRI
Despite being made to bite the dust by Kolkata’s street-
fighter in West Bengal, BJP’s Amit Malviya tweeted,
“Mamata Banerjee’s reputation of being anti-
Hindu in Bengal has tailed her to Goa, where
she is being welcomed with giant size posters
of Jai Shri Ram.” Mamata remained unruffled as she
mingled with fishermen in a crowded fish market
M
he Indian Foreign Service
has produced a number of
authors. The most prominent
among them is Pavan K Var-
ma. He joined the IFS in 1976.
Retired 2012. His father was
an ICS officer.
His first book, “Ghalib-
The Man. The Times” was
published in 1989. I reviewed
his “Krishna. The Playful Di-
vine” and “The Great Indian
Middle Class”. Each one of
his dozen books has sold well.
His writings have an elegant
style, He avoids panache. I
hold the view that authorship
is a sacred calling. No room
for sultry flippancy in his
writings. To put it briefly
, Pa-
van Varma is an author of
high literary voltage.
I have recently read his lat-
est book, “The Great Hindu
Civilization: Achievement,
Neglect, Bias And The Way
Forward”, it is the work of an
accomplished scholar. Read-
ing it at times I felt like an
ignoramus.
Ilearntmuchfromthebook,
unusual for a man in his 93rd
year.Onecouldsayof Pavan’s,
“The Great Hindu Civiliza-
tion” “Har sans main kahani
hai. Har sans me afsana hai”
The six chapters are head-
ed. 1. Hindu Civilization:
Myth or Reality? 2. The Au-
dacity of thought (this re-
minded me of the title of Ba-
rack Obama’s book, “An Au-
dacity of Hope”. 3. The Realm
of Ideas. 4. The Islamic con-
quest. 5. British rule And Its
Aftermath. 6. The Challenge
of the Modern Republic.
Pavan is critical of Amar-
tya Sen’s views on many as-
pects of Hinduism. He is only
a little less severe on Sunil
Khilnani and Romila Thapar.
Here I shall address my-
self to chapter four and five.
How did we become enslaved
for nearly a thousand years,
after the spiritual achieve-
ments of the earlier two mil-
lenniums.
“The conquest of India by
foreigners starting with the
seventeen invasions of Mah-
mud Ghazni and the subse-
quent establishment of the
Ghurid empire in Delhi un-
der Mohammad Ghori in
1202, left India physically de-
stroyed and psychologically
traumatized. Hindu civiliza-
tion had never seen conquer-
ors like the Islamic Turkic
invaders, who were so blindly
committed to the destruction
of a culture, so fanatically
driven by a belief in the supe-
riority of their religion, so
unrelenting in their hatred
for to it and so passionate
about the need to convert the
unbelievers… The invaders
believed that they were the
chosen ones, the believers,
and that those who were not
were Kafirs, unbelievers, be-
yond the pale. The territory
of the Kafir was dubbed Dar-
al-Harb, a place to make it
Dar-al-Islam, the land of Is-
lam.,” writes Pavan.
Amartya Sen has written
in one of his books that, “the
slash and burn culture of the
Muslim invaders….devas-
tated several cities and ru-
ined many temples, includ-
ing particularly ones in Ma-
thura,KanaujandSomnath”.
According to Maulana
Minhaj-us-Siraj Mahmud
took away the idol from Som-
nath and had it broken in
four parts, one of these was
interred at the entrance of
the main mosque in Ghazni
and another at the gateways
of the Sultan’s palace.
The author concede that,
“Hindu and Muslim cultures
enriched each other in music,
poetry, architecture, paint-
ing, food, social behavior, cus-
toms and even religious prac-
tices. This is the foundation
of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb
we speak today, which also
makes India unique.”
Pavan K Varma deals with
Sufism deftly and brilliantly
with the poets and saints in
different parts of India that
kept Hinduism alive. Shivaji
and Guru Gobind Singh are
given their due for not only
challenging the Islamic rul-
ersbutweakeningtheMughal
Empire. Tulsidas and Kabir
get pride of place, as does Jay-
adeva for his erotic Gita Gob-
ind, and Mirabai of course.
The opening sentence of
the chapter on British rule is,
“The establishment of Brit-
ish rule in India deeply im-
pactedHinducivilization and
India as a whole, not only for
the physical subjugation of
itspeopleandthehumiliation
it entailed, but for the coloni-
zationof theminditachieved.
While this is the goal of all
colonizingpowers,theBritish
were far more successful
practitioners of this policy
.”
Pavan rightly takes
Babington Macaulay to task,
who knew nothing about In-
dia’s culture, the spiritual
dimensions or its past. His
deeply offensive, “Minute on
Education”…”In one rhetori-
cal flourish, rubbished the
entire civilization heritage
of all Indians.”
Pavan Varma’s delineation
of the characters Raja Ram
Mohan Roy came as a sur-
prise. This is a book of very
high scholarship and im-
mensely educative.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
VARMA:MOSTNOTABLE
AUTHOR OF ALL TIMES
T
The author concede that,
“Hindu and Muslim
cultures enriched each
other in music, poetry,
architecture, painting,
food, social behavior,
customs and even
religious practices. This is
the foundation of the
Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb
we speak today, which
also makes India unique.”
I have recently read his
latest book, “The Great
Hindu Civilization:
Achievement, Neglect,
Bias And The Way
Forward”, it is the work
of an accomplished
scholar. Reading it at times
I felt like an ignoramus
K NATWAR SINGH
The author is Former Minister
of External Affairs of India

CM Yogi Adityanath Bats For A Greener Diwali
First India Bureau
Lucknow: In another
attempt to promote ‘Vo-
cal for Local’ this Di-
wali, Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath on Satur-
day flagged off vehicles
carrying over 1 lakh
eco-friendly earthen di-
yas, made from cow
dung to the holy city of
Ayodhya.
“As the auspicious oc-
casion of Diwali marks
the triumph of good
over evil, our festivals
must be celebrated in a
way that causes no
harm to nature. I ex-
press my gratitude to
PM Modi for enabling
us to celebrate the
‘grand’ deepotsava at
Ayodhya in an environ-
ment-friendly manner,”
said the CM at his offi-
cial residence.
He went on to say that
usage of lamps made
out of cow dung will not
only protect the envi-
ronment but also will
promote the conserva-
tion of indigenous cat-
tle in the country and
will encourage the use
of cow dung-based
products during the
forthcoming festival.
“This is an attempt to
boost the ‘Vocal for Lo-
cal’conceptof thePrime
Minister and swadeshi
movement,” he added.
The eco-friendly
earthen lamps made of
cow dung have been
prepared by the Rash-
triya Godhan Maha-
sangh for the grand
Deepotsava to be held at
Ayodhya this Diwali.
Adityanath flags off
vehicles carrying cow
dung ‘diyas’ to
Ayodhya. Urges
people to use them
for a greener Diwali
CM Yogi, BJP UP President Swatantra Dev Singh National VP
Radha Mohan Singh seeing off Home Minister Amit Shah at
Lucknow Airport on Saturday.
LUCKNOW l SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. UPENG/2020/80229 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 317
OUR EDITIONS:
JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD,
LUCKNOW NEW DELHI
www.firstindia.co.in
www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/
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facebook.com/thefirstindia
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PETROL-DIESEL
CONTINUE TO HURT
Lucknow: Petrol soared
to `105.87.48 per litre in
Lucknow after a hike of 34 p
while Diesel inches closer to
`100 with 35p increase and
stands at ` 98.16 per litre.
Virat Kohli hits back at social media trolls who targetted pacer Mohammed
Shami after India’s loss to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai
‘SPINELESS PEOPLE’
Dubai: IndiacaptainVi-
rat Kohli has torn into
social media trolling,
throwing his weight be-
hind Mohammed Shami
who suffered vile abuse
after India’s loss to Paki-
stan in the team’s T20
World Cup opener. Kohli
spoke about backing
Shami “200 per cent”.
“There’s a good rea-
son why we are playing
onthefieldandnotsome
bunch of spineless peo-
ple on social media that
have no courage to actu-
ally speak to any indi-
vidual in person. They
hide behind their identi-
ties and go after people
through social media,
making fun of people
and that has become a
social entertainment in
today’s world, which is
so unfortunate and so
sad to see,” Kohli said at
the pre-match press con-
ference, with India play-
ing against New Zea-
land. “This is literally
the lowest level of hu-
man potential that one
can operate at and that’s
how I look at these peo-
ple,” he added.
AfterIndia’s10-wicket
loss to Pakistan, Shami
became the target-in-
chief for some people on
social media, based on
his religion. His captain
stood by him, while call-
ing the abuse pathetic.
“People take out their
frustrations because
they obviously have no
understanding of what
we do as individuals.
They have no under-
standing of how much
effortweputonthefield.
They have no under-
standing of the fact that
someone like Moham-
mad Shami has won In-
diaanumberof matches
in the last few years and
he’s been our primary
bowler with Jasprit
Bumrah, when it comes
to making an impact,”
Kohli said.
Everyone has the
right to voice their
opinion over what
they feel about a
situation, but I
personally have never
ever even thought of
discriminating
anyone over their
religion
—Virat Kohli
Modi’s power will rise as
Congnotserious:Mamata
Panaji: Trinamool
Congress (TMC) supre-
mo and West Bengal
Chief Minister Mama-
ta Banerjee on Satur-
day trained her guns
on the Congress, say-
ing that Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi will
become more powerful
as the grand old party
is not serious about
politics, and alleged
that the country is suf-
fering because that
party does not take de-
cisions.
Speaking about the
Congress, she said, “I
cannot say everything
right now because they
didn’t take politics seri-
ously. Modiji is going to
be more powerful be-
cause of the Congress...
If one cannot take
a decision, why should
the country suffer
for that?”
“They (Congress) got
an opportunity (in the
past). Instead of fight-
ing against BJP, they
contested against me in
my state. Don’t you
think when they con-
tested against me,
when they contest my
political party in Ben-
gal...,” she said.
Apparently targeting
the BJP-led central gov-
ernment, she said she
would not tolerate Del-
hi’s ‘dadagiri’ (bully-
ing) any more.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi takes a ride on Goa’s motorcycle taxi
known as ‘Pilot’, from Bambolim to Azad Maidan in Panaji. Rahul also
had lunch at a roadside eatery during his visit to poll-bound Goa.
Aryan comes home 4 weeks after
arrest in drugs-on-cruise case
Mumbai: Aryan Khan,
the son of Shah Rukh
Khan, on Saturday left a
Mumbai jail after near-
ly four weeks. The
23-year-old was granted
bail on Thursday by the
Bombay High Court in
the drugs-on-cruise
case but spent two ad-
ditional nights in jail as
his bail papers missed
the 5:30 pm deadline on
Friday after an anxious
wait that went down to
seconds. Around 11 am,
surrounded by security
men, the star’s son got
into a waiting white
Range Rover and was
driven away, ending
days of speculation be-
hind his release.
Arthur Road jail offi-
cials were seen taking
out the bail papers from
the “bail box” in the
early hours of the
morning, setting off the
process for the star
son’s release.
Since morning, fans
were seen crowding out-
side Shah Rukh’s Man-
nat home with “Wel-
come Home, Aryan”
posters.
Congress is
second name
of corruption,
scams: Shah
Dehradun: Hitting out
at the Congress, Union
Home Minister Amit
Shah on Saturday said
that the grand old party
is synonymous with
corruption and scams
and its leaders always
turn down promises.
Shah, while speaking
at the inauguration
event of ‘Ghasiyari
Kalyan Yojana’, chal-
lenged Uttarakhand’s
former Chief Minister
Harish Rawat to an
open debate over the
promises made and ful-
filled by Congress and
the BJP. “Congress is
synonymous with cor-
ruption and scams. The
party do not bother
about the development
of any state. Congress
always turns down its
promise. Congress only
does appeasement and
cannot do any welfare
work,” said Shah.
Moderate turnout in bypolls
on 29 assembly, 3 LS seats
New Delhi: A turnout
of 50 percent to over 75
percent was recorded
on Saturday in bypolls
to three Lok Sabha and
29 assembly seats
spread across 13 states,
with INLD leader Ab-
hay Chautala, who quit
the Haryana assembly
in protest against the
agri laws, and Con-
gress’ Pratibha Singh,
wife of late chief minis-
ter Virbhadra Singh,
among the prominent
candidates in the fray
.
The polling passed
off peacefully and all
COVID-19 safety meas-
ures were followed, of-
ficials said.
70.41% POLLING ON 2
SEATS IN RAJASTHAN
70.41% turnout was
recorded in the bypolls
to Dhariyawad and
Vallabhnagar assembly
constituencies. The turn-
out in Dhariyawad was
69.38 while the figure
for the Vallabhnagar seat
was 71.45, officials said.
DAYS IN PICS
FIRST IN TWO DECADES: PM Narendra
Modi, who is visiting Rome for G20 summit, met
Pope Francis in Vatican city and invited him to India.
THAKUR IN JAIPUR: Union IB Minister
Anurag Thakur reached Jaipur on Saturday for a meeting
with IB officials. —PHOTO BY SUMAN SARKAR
The grand finale of the All - India Beauty Pageants First Miss India ‘21 and First Miss India Teen
‘21 was held at Novotel Dona Sylvia Resort, Goa on Saturday. Many celebrities and dignitar-
ies graced the mega-event. Jagdeesh Chandra and Bollywood celebrity Hina Khan crowned
the winners during a glittering ceremony. The First Miss India 2021 title was bagged by Pearl
Agarwal with Lekh Uthaiah 1st runner up and Shreya Gupta as the 2nd runner up while Rayna
Sikri was declared as the First Miss India Teen 2021 with Shubhi Dhaneta as 1st runner up and
Mrunmayi Parve as the 2nd runner up.
FIRST INDIA BEAUTIES CROWNED
Jagdeesh Chandra with (L-R) Ashok, Gaurav, Kriti, Shreya, Shubhi, Pearl, Rayna, Lekh, Mrunmayi, Deepti, Ken, Natasha,Aakriti and Anita.
MORE ON CITY FIRST HINA KHAN
JAGDEESH CHANDRA
—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO
DEATH ANNIVERSARY: Sunday will mark
the Iron Lady of India and former Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi’s 37th death anniversary.

UTTAR PRADESH
04
MARATHON EXERCISE TO PEP UP PARTY PROSPECTS
AFTER LKO MEET, SHAH’S
NEXT IMP STOP IS VARANASI
All in-charges of constituencies asked to
reach Vns for crucial strategy session
As BJP targets Purvanchal voters’ base,
the Nov 12 Vns meet becomes vital
1 2
First India Bureau
Lucknow: After hold-
ing marathon meeting
with BJP leaders dur-
ing his two-day visit,
Union Home Minister
Amit Shah will visit
Varanasi on November
12 to have second round
of consultations.
The BJP has issued
instructions to all in-
charges of assembly
constituencies to
reach Varanasi to par-
ticipate in crucial
strategy session.
Since the party is
laying stress on in-
creasing success rate
in Purvanchal the
meeting has been con-
vened at Varanasi-hub
of east UP politics. Be-
fore leaving for Dehra-
dun on Saturday, Shah
also had meeting with
Nishad party chief
Sanjay Nishad, MLC,
and his son BJP MP
Pravin Nishad.
During his hectic
consultations with
large number of party
leaders in Lucknow,
Shah, who was archi-
tect of BJP’s landslide
victory in 2014 LS and
2017 assembly polls,
took wide-range feed-
back from leaders about
present lot 300 plus par-
ty MLAs as there are
reports of leadership
denying re-nomination
to large numbers of sit-
ting members to ward
off “anti-incumbency”
factor.
There is buzz in the
party that at least 100
sitting MLAs would be
denied renomination as
resentment is brewing
among the people in
their constituencies.
Already some of them
are in contact with oth-
er parties.
First India Bureau
Ayodhya: Union Min-
ister Anurag Thakur
on Saturday said that
those who were ques-
tioning the need of
Ram Temple are now
visiting Ayodhya and
offering prayers there.
The Minister said,
“We have fulfilled the
promise to people of
building the Ram Man-
dir. There were some
people who were ques-
tioning the need for the
Ram Temple. Now, they
arevisitingAyodhyaand
offering prayers here.”
Praising the Uttar
Pradesh government,
he said, “Chief Minis-
ter Yogi Adityanath
has cleaned up the gov-
ernment. The state gov-
ernment is corruption-
free. The Chief Minis-
ter has ended ‘Goonda
Raj’ in the state. I am
sure that Bharatiya Ja-
nata Party (BJP) will
win the upcoming as-
sembly elections.”
Union Minister An-
urag Thakur while
urging students to
keep India clean asked
them to think about
the sacrifices made by
freedom fighters for
the independence of
the country.
“We were not been
able to make sacrifices
(at the time of Inde-
pendence struggle) for
the country but we can
definitely contribute
(by keeping India
clean),” said the Minis-
ter of Information and
Broadcasting and Youth
Affairs and Sports
while speaking at a
Clean India programme
event at the Dr Ram
Manohar Lohia Avadh
University, Ayodhya.
”We should contem-
plate in what state we
will be leaving this
country for future gen-
erations,” he added.
“I want to say this
to the residents of
Ayodhya, imagine
that a cleanliness
drive was run by the
people years back
when Lord Ram re-
turned to Ayodhya,
it’s time that we run a
similar drive this Di-
wali in Ayodhya,”
said the minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his departure from Lucknow on Saturday.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
IN THE FRONT
‘Thosequestioningneedfor
RamTemplenowofferingprayers’
T
T
T
NATIONWIDE PROGRAMME
First India Bureau
Agra: The matter of
celebrating the victory
of Pakistan has once
again gained momen-
tum after Omar Abdul-
lah’s tweet in support of
students celebrating Pa-
kistan’s victory
. Advo-
cates burnt effigies in
protest against Omar
Abdullah and also re-
fused to fight the case of
Kashmiri students.
After Pakistan’s vic-
tory in the India-Paki-
stan match on October
24, students of the Bich-
puricampusof RBSCol-
lege here celebrated Pa-
kistan’s victory
. Kash-
miri students also ex-
pressed their happiness
by posting WhatsApp
status.
Several Hindutva or-
ganisationsstagedapro-
test against the Kashmi-
ri students who reached
thecollege.Notonlythis,
cases were also regis-
tered against those cele-
brating the victory of
Pakistan in five districts
including Agra. But this
matter did not stop here,
aspublicoutrageagainst
the people celebrating
the victory of Pakistan
by staying in India is not
dying down.
On Saturday
, advo-
catesburnt the effigy of
Abdullah and also made
it clear that no lawyer
in Agra will fight the
case of Kashmiri stu-
dentsorsupportthemin
any way
. The angry ad-
vocates said if one want-
ed to live in India, then
the Constitution of In-
dia had to be respected.
“No lawyer in Agra
will support or fight the
case of Kashmiri stu-
dents who insult the
Constitution and cele-
brate victory of India’s
enemy country, said
Nitin Verma, Senior
Advocate.
First India Bureau
Gorakhpur: Making a
scathing attack on Sam-
ajwadi Party and its
leader, Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath said
that people who had
opened fire on Ram
bhakts on October 30,
1990 in Ayodhya were
now once again asking
the support of its people
to form the government.
“It is these people who
will give them a befit-
ting reply in upcoming
UttarPradeshAssembly
elections,” he added.
While inaugurating
the Divisional Office
Bearers’ Conference at
Baba Gambhirnath au-
ditorium Yogi Aditya-
nath directed the par-
ty leaders to go to the
people and highlight
the welfare schemes of
the state and Union
Governments.
Yogi said the CMs of
the state before him
were only interested in
buildingtheirownhous-
es while his government
had provided 43 lakh
houses to the poor. He
asked the party workers
to reach the beneficia-
ries of PM Housing
Scheme to light diyas at
their houses and cele-
brate Diwali.
Adityanath was of
view that with the sup-
port of the people Modi
Government resolved
long pending conten-
tious issues like of Ayo-
dhya’s Ram Mandir and
Article 370 in Kashmir.
This was only possible
because of the clear vi-
sion and honesty of the
Government.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Addition-
al Chief Secretary
,
Khadi and Village In-
dustries Navneet Seh-
gal attended the 10-
day Matikala fair or-
ganizedinthepremis-
es of UP Sangeet Na-
tak Akademi, Gomti
Nagar. Encouraging
the artisans, he made
clay cups on the jig-
ger-jaali with his own
hands besides the
earthenlampwasalso
shaped with the mold
of plaster of paris.
Vandana Sehgal was
also present.
The ACS said for-
mation of Matikala
Board was proving to
be a milestone with
theaimof makingthe
business of clay arti-
sans big. The plan to
provide a large mar-
ket at one place to
h a n d i c r a f t s m e n
through the exhibi-
tion has proved suc-
cessful.
He said like last
year, this year also
people of Lucknow
were liking the Mati-
kalafair.Theresultof
this is that in the last
five days more than
Rs 15 lakh products
were sold in the fair.
Today
, about five lakh
rupees worth of prod-
ucts had been sold.
Thus far, products
worth more than Rs
20lakhhavebeensold
in the Matikala fair.
Sehgal said the idol
of Shri Lakshmi-Ga-
nesh, various types of
designerlamps,pottery
of Chunar, black pot-
teryof Azamgarhwere
thecenterof attraction
inMatikalafair
.
Hefurthersaidthat
in the fair, products
made of clay were be-
ingdisplayedandsold
bycraftsmenfromdif-
ferent districts in-
cluding Mirzapur,
Azamgarh, Unnao,
Lucknow, Ayodhya,
Kanpur, Gorakhpur,
Bulandshahr and
Prayagraj.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Samajwadi
Party may have been
making lofty claims to
win 350 seats in 2022
assembly polls but the
fact remains that it
has been inducting
‘rejects’ of other par-
ties to complete its list
of 403 candidates.
Senior UP Minister
and government
spokesman Sidhart
Nath Singh made this
comment in a state-
ment on Saturday.
“None other than the
Congress leader Pri-
yanka Gandhi Vadra
even thanked SP Pres-
ident to take into his
party fold some of
‘cowards’ of Con-
gress,” he pointed out
adding “bhanumati ka
kunba can’t win elec-
tions for SP.”
Sidharth Nath
Singh said it only
manifested the desper-
ation of Akhilesh who
had been busy taking
in leaders from other
parties left and right
clearly showing his
party did not have can-
didates to field in 2022
elections.
“Priyanka has
shown a mirror to
Akhilesh as how can
he be so audacious to
claim washout of the
BJP on the basis of
‘borrowed’ work
force,” he remarked.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Under the
PGET-2021admissionof
Lucknow University for
2021-22, seat allotment
hasbeendoneaccording
to merit relative to avail-
able postgraduate seats
in subjects including
Zoology, Chemistry/
Pharmaceutical Chem-
istry, Physics/Renew-
able Energy
, Psychology
,
Social Work, Biochemis-
try, Biotech, Botany/
Plant Science whose last
date for fee submission
was October 26, 2021.
After the first allot-
ment, the second allot-
ment/upgradation has
been done in relation to
remaining seats, which
is available on candi-
date’s login from Octo-
ber 29, 2021. The cut off
for these subjects has
been released in post
graduate program ad-
mission page of the
website.
First India Bureau
Noida: ANoidaresident
was arrested on Friday
for fleeing away with a
servicepistolof asub-in-
spector from a police
post and later posting a
video on social media,
flaunting the weapon in
his hand, officials said.
Thepistolhasbeenre-
covered but the SI has
been suspended for neg-
ligence and a depart-
mental inquiry initiated
in the matter, the offi-
cials said. “Accused
Nagesh, a resident of
Yakutpur, was seen in a
videowiththepolicepis-
tol. An FIR lodged
against him under the
Arms Act,” a police
spokesperson said.
Lawyers refuse legal aid to Kashmiri students
UP IN ARMS
After Pak’s victory in the India-Pakistan
match on Oct 24, students of RBS
College celebrated Pakistan’s victory
HINDUTVA OUTFITS STAGE PROTEST
AGAINST KASHMIRI STUDENTS
Several Hindutva organisations staged a protest
against the Kashmiri students.Cases were also
registered against those celebrating the victory
of Pak in five districts including Agra. Public
outrage against the people celebrating the victory
of Pakistan by staying in India is not dying down.
‘Enemies of Ram Bhakts
seeking people’s support’
CM Yogi during the Ayodhya Deepotsav programme, along with
BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP national vice
president Radha Mohan Singh in Lucknow in Saturday.
Sidharth Nath Singh
The CM said
Home Minister
Amit Shah
will lay the
foundation stone
of a new varsity
in Azamgarh on
November 13
Matikala fair, a
boon for clay
artisans: Sehgal
ACS MSME Navneet Sehgal presenting black pottery
artefact of Azamgarh to film maker Subhash Ghai on
Saturday. Sehgal discussed the Film City project with Ghai.
‘Akhilesh’s claims based
on 'borrowed' work force’
LU PGET
PROG: SEATS
ON MERIT
MAN FLEES
WITH COP’S
PISTOL, HELD
YOGI PAYS TRIBUTE TO SWAMI
DAYANAND SARASWATI
Advocates burning effigies in protest against Omar Abdullah.
ACS Navneet Sehgal trying
his hands on the potter’s
wheel to make clay cups.
Lucknow: CM Yogi on Monday paid tributes on the
death anniversary of Arya Samaj founder Maharishi
Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Adityanath said his
contribution to building a progressive and egalitarian
society is unforgettable. “Heartfelt tributes on the death
anniversary of Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati
ji, an incomparable representative of the holy tradition
of great Sanatan culture, founder of Arya Samaj,
wonderful social and spiritual thinker, committed
social reformer. Your contribution in building a
progressive and egalitarian society is unforgettable,”
informed the CM in a tweet in Hindi.

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UTTAR PRADESH
05
First India Bureau
Varanasi: Police have
written to National
Testing Agency (NTA)
to stay result of 25 stu-
dents appeared in The
National Eligibility
cum Entrance Test
(NEET) as they were in
contact of solver gang.
A. Satish Ganesh, po-
lice commissioner here
said 25 aspirants were
in contact of solver
gang and whole list was
sent to NTA to stop
their results.
NTA organises
NEET examination
and full details of stu-
dents connected with
solver gang was sent to
director, NTA. Police
have gathered finger-
prints of the candi-
dates filled in forms to
match them with their
sheets.
Ganesh said that po-
lice teams will be sent
to other states for fur-
ther investigation
about solver gang to
nab other culprits. Po-
lice team was prepared
to deal with anticipato-
ry bail of miscreants.
Earlier the police
had arrested Dr Osama
Shahid of King George
Medical College uni-
versity Lucknow and
Abhay Kumar Mehta
for their involvement
with solver gang. It was
reported that Dr Osa-
ma, native of Mau dis-
trict, who appeared in
MBBS final year exam
at KGMU Lucknow this
year, used to find
aspirants on behalf of
Patna-based solver’s
gang.
The solver gang used
to take contract to send
impersonators to ap-
pear in examination.
When candidate quali-
fies for the exam, the
gang charged Rs 30 to
Rs 40 lakh from each
candidate.
Police hand over list of 25 students connected to solver gang to NTA, seek stopping results
DEEPER ROT

The gang used
to take contract
and when a
candidate
qualified in the
exam, it charged
Rs 30 lakh to
Rs 40 lakh
from him Dr Osama Shahid and Abhay Mehta in police net. —FILE PHOTO
EARLIER ARRESTS
CRUCIAL READ
Varanasi: Police have arrested a person from Bha-
wanipur village here for hoisting Pakistan’s flag on
Friday and rasing anti-national slogans. Police sourc-
es here said that Mohammad Taj son of Shekhu had
hoisted Pakistan’s flag at his house and he chanted
anti-national slogans. After information police rushed
to the spot and taken down the flag.Pankaj Singh,
Jakkhini police outpost in-charge said Mohd Taj was
arrested and case was registered against him.
DACOIT GAURI
YADAV GUNNED
DOWN BY UP STF
Chitrakoot: A dacoit with
a bounty of Rs 5,50,000
on his head was gunned
down by the UP STF in
an encounter in Chitra-
koot on Saturday morn-
ing.The bounty criminal
has been identified as
Gauri Yadav. He had a
bounty of Rs 5 lakh on
his head in UP while a
bounty of Rs 50,000 was
on his head in Madhya
Pradesh as well.
IIM-LUCKNOW
RANKS 4 IN NAT’L
B-SCHOOL SURVEY
Lucknow: Indian
Institute of Management-
Lucknow (IIM-L) has
bagged fourth rank in
2021 edition of Busi-
ness Today-MDRA Best
B-school survey. IIM-
Calcutta topped the list.
Record 305 institutes
participated in the exer-
cise. Last year’s topper
IIM-Ahmedabad topped
three of the five primary
parameters this time.
CONFIRMED IN 3 MORE IAF
OFFICIALSATCHAKERISTN
First India Bureau
Kanpur: Panic was
triggered after Zika vi-
rus was confirmed in
three Air Force officials
stationed at Chakeri Air
Force here. Their medi-
cal reports were re-
leased by King George
Medical university on
Saturday
. It was report-
ed that all have had no
travel history
.
DM Raj Shekhar said
breeding of mosquitos
was confirmed near wa-
ter tanker near Air
Force hangar. The Air
Force official in which,
first Zika virus case was
confirmed, was posted
in hangar 7 and 8.
Other three officials
were from same area, he
said that doctors team
will held camp in the
area in supervision of
assistant chief medical
officer and sampling
will be conducted in
large numbers. Along
with that samples of
mosquito larvae will be
sent to National Insti-
tute of Malaria Re-
search, New Delhi for
testing of Zika virus, he
pointed out.
As many as 140 sam-
ples of officials and
staff workers from two
hangars of Air Force
station to KGMU on
Thursday
. Virus was
confirmedinthreemore
officials which created
panic in the area.
Dr GK Mishra, addi-
tional director, health
saidZikawasconfirmed
in three more Air Force
officials. Two were resi-
dents of Adarsh Nagar
colony in Chakeri area
while one other from
Shyam Nagar area.
CMO was instructed to
conduct medical exami-
nations of all persons
came in contact of in-
fected persons and their
family members.
Officials of health
and civic bodies have
also been put on alert to
contain the situation.
Furthermore, teams
have been appointed to
stop the spread of the
virus in the state.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: District
Magistrate/District
Election Officer, Luc-
knowAbhishekPrakash
while addressing media
persons here on Satur-
day informed that vari-
ous activities/pro-
grammesandtheirdates
forthespecialbrief revi-
sion of electoral rolls of
Vidhan Sabha constitu-
encies by Election Com-
mission of India on the
basis of qualification as
on January 1, 2022 had
been announced.
The graphic publica-
tion of electoral rolls
will be done on Novem-
ber 1, while claims and
objections would be re-
ceived between Novem-
ber 1 and 30, 2021.
The special campaign
datesareNovember7,13,
21 and 27 respectively
while settlement of
claims and objections
wouldbedonebyDecem-
ber 20, 2021. Final publi-
cation of Electoral Rolls
would be done on Janu-
ary 5, 2022.
As per records, the to-
tal electorate count was
37,31,189 including
19,94,484 males, 17,36,507
females and 198 third
gender. Total 23,400
0.63%) voters were in 18-
19 years age group. For
the elections, 1,526 poll-
ing stations and 4,018
booths would be set up
wherein 4,018 BLOs, 402
supervisors, 1,526 desig-
natedwouldbedeployed.
Toll free number is 1950
while Room 29A, Collec-
torate, Lucknow is Dis-
trict Contact Centre. On-
line registration can be
done on the website
www.nsvp.in and http://
voterportal.eci.gov.in.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Chief Secre-
tary RK Tiwari and ACS
Urban Development Ra-
jnish Dubey took part in
Vikas Deepotsav-Deep-
awali Mela meant for lo-
cal artisans and street
vendorstoshowcaseand
sell their wares.
On the occasion, a la-
sershowshowcasingthe
Ram Katha is also being
organised which also
happens to be a crowd-
puller. A film on the life
of PM Modi was also
showcased on the occa-
sion.Thefairwillendon
November 4.
Traditionally
, various
items of household use
are purchased by people
on the occasion of Di-
wali besides different
recreational activities
areimplementedatlocal
leveltocelebratethisfes-
tival. The fair has been
organized in an area of
about 30,000 square me-
ters, in which stalls set
up by street vendors,
ODOP/NULM stalls,
other types of commer-
cialstallsandfoodstalls,
help desk, exhibition of
products of self-help
groups, ODOP under
Deendayal Upadhyay
NationalLivelihoodMis-
sion stalls, exhibition
based on achievements
of state government,
Covid vax desk, food
court, fun zone have
been established.
Abhishek Prakash DM, Amarpal Singh ADM and other officials at
the press meet on Saturday.
CS RK Tiwari, Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia, BJP MLA Neeraj Bora,
Municipal Commissioner Ajay Dwivedi, Addl Municipal Comm
Abhay Pandey, Addl Municipal Comm Pankaj Singh at the event
ZIKA
VIRUS
Kerala was the
first state to
report Zika in
a woman
on July 8
So far, Kerala
has reported
over 60 cases,
its health
minister said
In August,
Maharashtra
reported its
first case
COVID-19 IN UP
No fresh cases
in 67 districts
First India Bureau
L u c k n o w :
Signalling control
over the second wave
of the Covid-19 pan-
demic, out of the 75
districts in Uttar
Pradesh, no fresh in-
fections were report-
ed from as many as 67
districts in the span
of the last 24 hours.
Out of over 1.64
lakh samples test-
ed, as many as
20 tested posi-
tive for corona-
virus. The
Fresh cases
have declined
by more than 99
percent from their
peak which was
38,055 on April 24.
Where major other
states have been wit-
nessing a greater
surge of fresh Cov-
id-19 infections (daily
cases ranging from
15,000-2,000), Uttar
Pradesh has restrict-
ed the daily-case
count below 50 for
over two consecutive
months.
Consequently, the
Test Positivity Rate
(TPR), which shows
the levels of infection
among people - has
decreasedtolessthan
0.01 percent, the low-
est in the country
.
As Covid Recovery
Rate steadily follows
an upward graph, the
state on Saturday re-
corded the Recovery
Rate at a remarkable
98.7 percent.As many
as 10 patients re-
covered in the
span of the
last 24
hours in
the state.
Active cases
around 100-mark
High recoveries and
a low number of
new Covid-19 cases
have subsided the
Active Covid Case-
load to 107, while the
percentage of active
cases as against the
total confirmed cas-
es is 0 percent.
The Active Case-
load has been
brought down by
over a 99 per cent
from its peak capped
at 3,10,783 cases on
April 30.
Dates for spl brief revision of
electoral rolls announced: DM
CEO, Election Commis-
sion Ajay Kumar Shukla,
said voter revision work
would commence from
November 1, new voters
could get voter ID made
till November 30, claims
and objections would be
accepted from November
7 to 27, while settlement
would be done between
December 20, 2021 and
January 4, 2022. He said
final publication of elec-
toral rolls would be done
on January 5, 2022.
WORK TO START
NOVEMBER 1
4k women artisans
joinBJPunderSmriti
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Over 4,200
women artisans and
weavers from 26 dis-
tricts joined the BJP
inthepresenceof Un-
ion Minister Smriti
Irani on Saturday
.
Motivating the
women to join the
party, Irani said the
BJP-led UP govern-
menthasgivenhealth
insurance of Rs 5
lakh to 6.25 crore peo-
ple under the Ayush-
man Bharat Scheme.
From the organisa-
tion to government,
the party is trying to
empower every part
of society
, she said as
she threw light on
various welfare pro-
grammes of the state
and Central.
Khsipra Shukla,
co-convenor, Artisan
and Weaver Cell of
UP BJP, said, “Every
woman has embodied
Goddess Durga in
herself. She can do
any task in hand. Un-
der the vision of PM
Modi and CM Yogi,
initiatives to empow-
er women are being
accorded utmost im-
portance.”
Irani also inaugu-
rated ‘Hello Kamal
Shakti’ mobile appli-
cation to establish
direct communica-
tion between women
and organisations.
Police arrest
2 in Toyota
manager
murder case
First India Bureau
Agra: The murder
mystery of a Toyota
manager has been
solved by Sikandra
police here, with
the arrest of two ac-
cused in the case.
Police have recov-
ered illegal firearm,
toll slip and cheque
book of the de-
ceased from the ar-
rested killers.
On October 22,
Surjit Khare had
lodged a complaint
that his brother
Ranjit Khare had
been missing since
October 1. When the
police investigated,
it came to light that
on October 19, an
unidentified body
was found in More-
na. The family
members of Ranjit
identified the body
as Ranjit Khare.
Giving more details
about the incident,
SSP Sudhir Kumar
said that the police
have arrested Ar-
jun Sharma alias
CITU and Aman
Sharma for the
murder of Ranjit.
He told that dur-
ing the police inter-
rogation it has
come to the fore
that both the ac-
cused are friends
and are studying
together.
Laser show,film on PM mark Deepotsav Mela
Union Minister Smriti Irani meeting a woman artisan on
Saturday. —PHOTO BY SUMIT KUMAR
MAN ARRESTED FOR HOISTING PAKISTANI FLAG,
RAISING ANTI-NATIONAL SLOGANS IN VARANASI
—FILE PHOTO

INDIA
06
Bengaluru: As the
thousands of fans ar-
rived to pay their last
respects to Kannada su-
perstar Puneeth Rajku-
mar, CM Basavaraj
Bommai said the cre-
mation will be done
Sunday. The actor
passed away Friday af-
ter a sudden heart at-
tack at the age of 46.
Speakingtothemedia
he said, “The decision
was made as there were
thousands of public
waiting at Kanteerava
stadium. We discussed
it with the family mem-
bers and cremation will
be held Sunday
.”
He added, “It is a chal-
lenge to handle such a
huge crowd after sun-
set. Public can pay their
last respects to Puneeth
till today. We request
people to cooperate.
PRABHUDHEVA
PAYS TRIBUTE
Prabhudheva arrived
in Bengaluru on Satur-
day to pay tribute to his
friend, Puneeth Rajku-
mar. Speaking to the
media, Prabhudheva
said that he went blank
after hearing the news
of the death of Rajku-
mar.—ANI
Puneeth’s cremation today, announces Bommai
PEOPLE FLOODING TO PAY LAST RESPECTS
BE AWARE!
ASSAM, BENGAL
Centre’sword
ofcautionfor
Assam,Bengal
amidrisein
Covid-19cases
New Delhi: In view of
rising coronavirus cas-
es, weekly positivity
rates and decreasing
testing figures in As-
sam and WB, the Centre
has asked the state gov-
ernments to undertake
a review of these pa-
rameters while stress-
ing on strict enforce-
ment of Covid-appro-
priate behaviour.
2 districts of Assam,
Barpeta and Kamrup
Metro, additional secy
said have been identi-
fied as districts of con-
cern due to high quan-
tum of Covid cases and
weekly positivity
. Simi-
larly, in WB, 2 districts
Kolkata and Howrah
have been identified as
districts of concern due
to high quantum of cas-
es and positivity
. —ANI
LETTER TO CHIEF
SECRETARIEs
In a letter to chief sec-
retaries of Assam and
West Bengal on October
26, Additional Secretary
in the Union Health Min-
istry, Arti Ahuja, high-
lighted increase in weekly
new Covid cases since
the past week (October
20-26) and early signs
of rise in positivity since
the last four weeks till
October 25.
WEST BENGAL
On October 22, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan
had also written to West Bengal expressing concern
over the rise in Covid cases in Kolkata, following Durga Puja
celebrations earlier this month.
ASSAM
Ms Ahuja, in her letter to Assam, pointed out that there
has been 41 per cent increase in weekly new cases
since the past week (October 20-26) and that there have
been early signs of rise in positivity since last four weeks
from 1.89 per cent in the week of September 28-October 4
to 2.22 per cent in the week of October 19-25.
Following death of Kannada film actor Puneeth
Rajkumar due to cardiac arrest, fake message is
circulating in name of Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman of
Narayana Health. Message claims that several ce-
lebrities, including Puneeth, died because of doing
“too much to be fit”. However, doctor confirmed
that it is a fake message expressed his anguish
at his name being used to misguide public.
WHATSAPP FROM DR SHETTY ON WHY
PUNEETH DIED IS FAKE, CONFIRMS DOC
1 BJP MLA, 6 REBEL
BSP MLAS JOIN SP
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and Governor Thaawarchand
Gehlot pay last respect to the mortal remains of Kannada actor
Puneeth Rajkumar, in Bengaluru on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI
Akhilesh Yadav with his supporters on Saturday.
Woman reacts as a medic takes nasal swab sample for Covid testing.
Medic inoculates jab to a beneficiary in Mumbai.
Pune: Taking potshots
at the ruling BJP, Shiv
Sena MP Sanjay Raut
on Saturday said a coa-
lition govt with Cong as
a major party will come
to power in 2024, when
general elections are
due, which will end the
reign of the incumbent
one-party government.
The Shiv Sena spokes-
person was asked about
Prashant Kishor’s re-
ported statement where
the political strategist
said that BJP’s promi-
nence will remain for
many decades. “BJP
claims that it is the
world’s biggest party
. If
the world’s biggest par-
ty loses elections they
will become an opposi-
tion party
. For example,
in Maharashtra, the
BJP is the main opposi-
tion party with 105
MLAs,” he said. —ANI
Chandigarh: Ex-Pun-
jab CM Captain Ama-
rinder Singh on Satur-
day rubbished report of
backend dialogue with
Cong, saying the time
for rapprochement is
over, as per media advi-
sor Raveen. Singh said
his decision to part
ways with Cong is final
as it was taken after giv-
ing it a lot of thought.
“I’m grateful to Sonia
ji for her support but
will not stay in Cong
now,” Thukral quoted
Singh as saying. Reiter-
ating earlier announce-
ment of launching par-
ty, Capt said he will
soon hold talks with
BJP, breakaway Akali
factions and other par-
ties over seat-sharing
for upcoming Assembly
polls in Punjab. —ANI
Srinagar: Two sol-
diers have been killed
and three others were
injured in mine blast
near Line of Control in
the Nowshera-Sunder-
bani sector in JK,
sources said on Satur-
day.
Officials sources
said an officer and a
soldier were killed in
action after an army
patrol stepped on a
landmine near the
LoC. —ANI
Lucknow: SP national
president Akhilesh Ya-
dav on Saturday at-
tacked the BJP and Un-
ion HM Amit Shah in
run up to the assembly
elections in UP and said
that the saffron party
was “unlikely” to find
ticket-seeking candi-
dates due to people’s
“anger” against ruling
party
.
He also took a dig at
Shah, who was busy
meeting BJP leaders,
office-bearers, and cad-
res in Lucknow on Sat-
urday, over Union MoS
Mishra Teni’s presence
in Shah’s rally. Amit
Shah ask BJP workers
to set a target of win-
ning more than 300 of
the 403 seats in the up-
coming UP assembly
polls. He had also made
it clear that incumbent
Yogi will be CM if party
wins elections. —ANI
‘Won’t find 4 to 3 ticket seekers’:
Akhilesh Yadav attacks Shah, BJP
Capt rubbishes report of
backend talks with Cong
2 soldiers killed, 3 hurt
in JK blast near LoC
No govt can be
formed without
Congress: Raut
Lucknow: 6 rebel MLAs
of BSP along with 1 BJP
legislator joined SP on
Saturday. Sitapur sadar
BJP MLA Rakesh Rathore
also joined the SP.
Rebel BSP MLA Aslam
Raini said that the SP is
the only party in Uttar
Pradesh which is going
to form the next govern-
ment led by Akhilesh
Yadav.
Akhilesh Yadav
@yadavakhilesh
Even if the BJP an-
nounces 403 CMs
in UP, it will still not
get even 4 to 3 ticket
seekers consider-
ing the public anger
against the party.
How will the party get
ticket seekers when
it is visibly heading
towards defeat.
I will soon launch my own party
and will hold talks for seat sharing
with @BJP4India, breakaway
Akali factions others for #PunjabElec-
tions2022 once farmers’ issue is resolved. I
want to build strong collective force in inter-
est of Punjab its farmers.
—Captain Amarinder Singh, Former Punjab CM
During an area domination patrol in
Naushera sector, a mine blast occurred,
wherein, two Indian Army soldiers suf-
fered critical injuries and later succumbed to
their injuries. Another soldier who received in-
juries was evacuated and is under treatment.
—A Defence Spokesperson
Pope Francis
appreciates India’s
assistance to
countries during
COVID pandemic:
MEA
Tripura mandates
negative Covid
report from visitors
from states with
5%+ positivity rate
‘Multilateralism’ best
answer to COVID
pandemic: Italian PM
at G20 Rome Summit
Tripura govt issues
revised guidelines
for travellers from
other states
Origins of Covid-19
may never be known,
says US intelligence
agencies
India logs 14,313
fresh Covid cases,
Kerala remains
worst-hit state
Covid-19: 1.07bn
fully vaccinated in
China but new
outbreak spreads to
14 provinces
Cannot play with
lives of people: SC
on plea seeking
revaccination with
Covishield
KEY POINTS
IN COVID-19
OUTBREAK
Two Puneeth Rajkumar’s fans allegedly died
of a heart attack. A fan, identified as Par-
ashuram Devammanvar suffered a heart attack
in Shidolli village in Belagavi district, Karnataka.
He died at 11 pm on Friday night. Reportedly,
he collapsed after hearing news of actor death.
HIS FANS DIE OF HEART ATTACK
CRUCIAL READ
ACTOR YUSUF DIES OF COVID-19 HANSAL,
ABHISHEK BACHCHAN, CELEBS PEN TRIBUTE
New Delhi: Veteran actor Yusuf Hussain died of Cov-
id at age of 73 on Saturday. His son-in-law and film-
maker Hansal Mehta told media that he was admitted
to Lilavati hospital. Yusuf Hussain’s death has left his
family and friends in film fraternity heartbroken. Cel-
ebs including Hansal Mehta, Abhishek Bachchan and
Manoj Bajpayee took to social media to pen heartfelt
tribute. Details about his last rites are awaited.
RSS STUDENTS WING
WORKER STABBED IN
TRIPURA: COPS
Guwahati: An activist of
the ABVP was stabbed
last evening outside a
school at Kailashahar
in Unakoti district of
north Tripura, the police
said. ABVP worker
Shibaji Sengupta was
seriously injured after
he was attacked during
membership drive. He
was rushed to a hospi-
tal where his condition
is said to be stable. A
police official confirmed
attack. RSS has claimed
that the attack was
“communal”.
TAMIL NADU MIN
SHARES MEAL WITH
TRIBAL WOMAN
Chennai: TN Hindu
Religious and Charita-
ble Endowments (HR
and CE) minister PK
Sekar Babu on Saturday
shared a meal with a
tribal woman who said
that she was denied
‘Annadhanam’ (free
meal) and allegedly
beaten up at a temple
in the state. The tribal
woman had complained
that she and her family
members were insulted
during ‘Annadhanam’ at
Kancheepuram Thalas-
aiyanar temple.
MUFTI WRITES TO
MODI OVER ACTION
AGAINST STUDENTS
New Delhi: Former J-K
CM and PDP president
Mehbooba Mufti writes
to PM Narendra Modi
seeking his intervention
in release of Kashmiri
students’ arrests in
UP. “I write to you
with a deep sense of
disappointment and
concern about situation
in J-K. Not too long ago
when you presided over
an all-party meeting in
Delhi, you expressed
your intention to
remove “dill ke doori
between Delhi and
JK,” she wrote to PM.
CHOUHAN ALLEGES
CONG THREATENING
VOTERS IN MP
Bhopal: MP CM Shivraj
Singh Chouhan on
Saturday alleged that
voters are being threat-
ened by the workers of
the Congress party at
many polling booths in
the Prithvipur constitu-
ency of the state where
by-polls are underway.
Chouhan said, “Con-
gress has gone mad
due to fear of defeat in
the by-elections. Voters
are being threatened at
many polling booths in
Prithvipur. Bharatiya Ja-
nata Party (BJP) agents
are being assaulted.”
NITISH GOVT USING MONEY, FORCE TO WIN
BY-POLLS IN BIHAR, ALLEGES TEJASHWI
Patna: RJD leader and the LoP in Bihar state Assem-
bly Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday slammed the state
government for allegedly trying to use money and
force to win by-elections in
the state. Addressing the
media here in Patna, Yadav
said, “The by-election is
going on in Tarapur and
Kusheshwar Asthan as-
sembly constituencies in Bihar, We are in regular
touch with the Election Commission to ensure that
the polls go smoothly,” he added.

NEWS
07
JAILED MAFIOSI
VIJAY MISHRA
SEEKS HELP FROM
AKHILESH YADAV
Even as the BJP has been
carrying out a campaign against
Samajwadi Party for sheltering
Mafiosi during its regime in 2012-
17, much to the discomfiture of SP
a jailed criminal-turned politician
Vijay Mishra, who is an MLA from
Gyanpur in Bhadoi, has written a
letter to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav
narrating his plight in Agra jail. Vijay
Mishra has also threatened to
launch an indefinite hunger strike in
jail from November 1. Vijay Mishra
pointing out his health condition
has said that his eyes have been
damaged because of wrong
treatment. He said fake cases were
being lodged against his family
members and the local police have
been trying to frame his sons in
terror cases by showing recovery
of illegal weapons. Similarly, cases
have been slapped against the
daughter and her husband and
nobody is left outside to pursue the
cases in court. While addressing
the BJP conference the Union
Home Minister Amit Shah said the
Yogi government had effectively
eliminated Mafiosi raj in the state.
During the last five years, the Yogi
government launching a massive
drive against criminals have
ensured that they could rule the
roost in their respective areas. A
large number of them have been
killed in police encounters and
many are in jails.
—First India Bureau
NO TRANSFER
IN UTTAR
PRADESH
BUREAUCRACY
NOW
The period of transfer is over in
the bureaucracy of Uttar
Pradesh. The maximum transfers
were done by the deputy collector.
After a long time in the state, more
than 250 junior PCS officers have
been transferred. In view of the
2022 assembly elections, all the
PCS officers who had been in the
districts for 3 years were changed
in accordance with Commission’s
rules and recommendations. First,
these officers wanted to go to a
good district, but after arriving in
the district, they wanted wished to
become SDM of the tehsil. The
most interesting thing is that
everyone’s wish has been fulfilled,
but for the officers of a particular
class who were disappointed.
These officers say that the transfer
had definitely taken place on the
instructions of the Commission
but they were not destined to
become SDM. Some officers were
even apprised by their respective
district magistrate about their
helplessness which has been
understood by these Deputy
Collectors.
—First India Bureau
CourtordershearingofAtulRai
caseviavideoconferencing
First India Bureau
Varanasi: BSP MP
from Ghosi Atul Rai,
lodged in Naini Jail of
Prayagraj, will be pro-
duced by video confer-
encing. The order to
make judicial remand
via video conferencing
has been given by the
court of Special Judge
(Gangster Act) of Vara-
nasi Rajat Verma.
A copy of the order
has been sent to Nodal
Officer and Naini Jail
Superintendent in this
regard in which it has
been said that on No-
vember 2, in the case of
Gangster Act, judicial
remand of Atul Rai
should be made via
video conferencing.
Advocates Anuj Yadav
and Vikas Singh, on be-
half of MP Atul Rai,
had applied for remand
through video confer-
encing in this case in
which it was said that
the BSP MP was lodged
in Naini Jail in Praya-
graj district on charges
of rape.
He is suffering from
serious illness due to
which Allahabad’s MP/
MLA court had given
directions on Septem-
ber 21 to travel by ambu-
lance for being pro-
duced. It has also been
said in the application,
the BSP MP has enmity
with Mau Sadar MLA
Mukhtar Ansari that he
could get his henchmen
kill him on his way to
and from jail or in the
court premises. Hence
an appeal was made to
get judicial remand
through video confer-
encing on November 2.
The court had sought a
report from the Naini
jail superintendent in
this matter. On May 1,
2019, a case was regis-
teredagainstAtulRaiin
Varanasi’s Lanka police
station on charges of
rape. He has been in jail
since June 22. On Au-
gust 16, 2021, the rape
victim and her witness
Satyam Prakash Rai set
themselves on fire by
pouring petrol on them-
selves in front of the Su-
preme Court in New
Delhi. Both died during
treatment.
In view of Atul’s
criminal history, a case
was registered against
him under the Gang-
ster Act at the Lanka
police station on Octo-
ber 23, 2021.
Lucknow: Six suspend-
ed MLAs of Bahujan Sa-
maj Party (BSP) and one
from BJP today join Sa-
majwadiPartytocontest
2022 UP elections on SP
ticket.
Those who joined SP
today were BSP MLAs
SushmaPatel(Jaunpur),
Hargovind Bhargav
(Sitapur), Aslam Chaud-
hury (Hapur), Aslam
Rainee (Shravasti),
Hakim Lal Bind (Praya-
graj), Mujtaba Siddique
(Prayagraj) and BJP
MLA Rakesh Rathor
(Sitapur).
The entry of six BSP
MLAs was pending for
thelastoneyearasthese
lawmakers had rebelled
against BSP during Ra-
jya Sabha election in
2020 and voted for SP
nominee. The BSP chief
Mayawati had then sus-
pended them from the
party
.
Addressing press con-
ference after inducting
the BSP MLAs, the SP
president Akhilesh Ya-
dav refuted the claim of
Union Home Minister
AmitShahthatYogiAdi-
tyanath government in
UP had fulfilled 90 per
cent election promises
made during 2017 elec-
tion. Yadav said except
completing some pro-
jects undertaken during
SP regime (2012-17) the
Yogi government had
done nothing and now
making tall claims
through huge publicity
.
Yadav said “none of the
promise made in the
manifesto have been ful-
filled by the BJP govern-
ment”. Referringtojoin-
ing of BJP MLA Rathor,
Yadavsaid“nowtheBJP
will change its slogan
from Mera Parivar BJP
Parivar (My family BJP
family) to Mera Parivar
Bhaagta Parivar (My
family escaping fami-
ly)”. He said more BJP
leaders would soon join
the SP as there was dis-
enchantment among
them because of declin-
ing credibility of the
party and resentment
among people against
the state government.
First India Bureau
Amroha: The national
spokesperson of
Bharatiya Kisan Union
(BKU) Rakesh Tikait
reached Amroha on Sat-
urday
. He addressed the
Kisan Mahapanchayat
targeted the BJP gov-
ernment.
He also announced
that this time farmers
would celebrate Diwali
at the protest site in
Delhi. He also said that
since the Central gov-
ernment is not accept-
ing their demands to
repeal the three agri-
culture laws, the ongo-
ing farmers’ movement
would continue. Thou-
sands of farmers from
across the district
reached the Kisan Ma-
hapanchayat organized
at Joi Maidan.
Rakesh Tikait first
accepted the greetings
of all the farmers with
folded hands. He said
that no obstacle was be-
ing created in the way
of the government.
Farmers are still ready
to find a way out
through talks, but the
government seems to be
not interested.
He further said that
the farmers of Potato
and Bajra were not get-
ting the minimum sup-
port price, due to which
thefarmingcommunity
was suffering loss. He
said that farmers were
not being listened to. He
also said that the laws
were black law for farm-
ers, which had been
made by the black gov-
ernment of PM Modi.
Budaun: A special
court on Saturday sen-
tenced Yogendra Sagar,
a former BSP MLA, to
life imprisonment and
imposed a fine of Rs
30,000 in connection
with the abduction and
rape of a student 13
years ago. Yogendra Sa-
gar was the BSP MLA
from Bilsi seat of
Budaun district at the
time of the incident.
He was convicted by
Judge Akhilesh Kumar
for abducting an under-
graduate student on
April 23, 2008 from Bil-
si, and thereafter rap-
ing her on multiple oc-
casions, Additional gov-
ernment advocate
Madanlal Rajput said.
During the trial, the girl
testified that she was
kept by Sagar at his gov-
ernment residence in
Lucknow, and was
raped by him and two
other men. The other
two -- Tejendra Sagar,
and Neeraj alias Minu
Sharma - were sen-
tenced to a life term ear-
lier by the court.
First India Bureau
Ayodhya/Lucknow: A
PNB officer rank girl
committed suicide by
hanging herself in Ayo-
dhya on Saturday
. Police
have found a suicide
note from the room
whichmentionsshewas
being tortured by three
including an IPS officer
a police personnel.
The victim Shraddha
Gupta, a resident of Ra-
jajipuram, Lucknow,
lived in a rented house
in Khawaspura locality
of Ayodhya city. Police
have found a suicide
note in which 3 people
including an IPS officer
have been blamed.
Shraddha was a scale
one officer in Punjab
National Bank Regional
Office, Ayodhya.
On information, SSP
Shailesh Pandey
reached the spot. The
room was locked from
inside. Police pulled
out the corpse by break-
ing the window. The
family has appealed to
CM for justice in the
matter. Shraddha’s
family told that since
Friday evening, the
family members were
calling Shraddha, but
the call was not being
received. When the
landlord saw through
the window installed in
Shraddha’s room, her
body was hanging from
the noose inside.
First India Bureau
Deoria: An electricity
bill of Rs 19.19 crore
was sent to a labourer
living in a kutcha
house in Deoria. How-
ever, after a day, the
electricity depart-
ment apologized,
withdrawing the dues.
After this incident,
the sub-divisional of-
ficer, meter reader
and billing agency
have been punished
for the laxity
.
Purvanchal Vidyut
Vitran Nigam Limited
(PPVNL) of Varanasi
has rectified the
amount of the bill
wrongly sent to the
consumer Ram Nagi-
na living in Malkauli
village of Deoria.
Managing Director of
the Corporation,
Arvind Singh said the
meter reader gave the
wrong reading while
noting it due to which
notice was sent to the
labourer to pay Rs
19.19 crore. Seeing the
matter gain momen-
tum, the department
got the incident inves-
tigated. Director
ArvindSinghsaidthat
the meter reader was
removedassoonasthe
report was received
while the charge sheet
had been handed over
to the sub-divisional
officer. Also, a case has
been registered
against the billing
agency
.
Ramnagina lives in
a kutcha house with
his wife Savitri, two
sons and three daugh-
ters in Malkauli vil-
lage in Sadar Kotwali
of Deoria.Whenhegot
the notice, the whole
family was stunned
but officers did not lis-
ten. Ramnagina had
taken 1 KW electricity
connection seven
yearsagowhosebillhe
has been paying. Now
rectified bill has been
provided to consumer
Ram Nagina. Power
Corporation Chair-
man M Devraj said
that whoever was in-
volved in this negli-
gence would not be
spared and if such in-
cidentof wrongbilling
wasrepeatedfromany-
where strict action
wouldbetakenagainst
the guilty
.
BSP MP Atul Rai —FILE PHOTO
—FILE PHOTO
Rakesh Tikait in Amroha on Saturday.
—REPRESENATIONAL IMAGE
AKHILESH TAKES SWIPE AT AMIT SHAH
FOR SHARING DAIS WITH AJAY MISHRA
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday took a swipe at Union
Home Minister Amit Shah for sharing a dais with his junior
colleague Ajay Mishra, under a cloud over the recent vio-
lence in Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight people were killed.
In a Twitter post, Yadav also tagged a photograph of the
two ministers during a programme of UP’s ruling BJP here
on Friday. “Jhoothi doorbeen lekar dhoondne ka dhong
pura tha, jabki bagal mein chora jagat dhindora tha (the
pretense of searching with false binoculars was complete,
the person being searched was standing alongside),” the
SP president posted.
Akhilesh inducts one BJP,
six BSP MLAs in SP
THE REALITY
‘PROBE ON’
‘Farmers will celebrate Diwali at protest site’
Ex-BSP MLA Yogendra
sentenced to life term
PNB officer dies by suicide in
Ayodhya,police recover note
Labourer gets electricity
bill of `19.19 cr, probe on
The investigation revealed that the SDO had
issued a notice under Section-3 for non-
payment of the bill till the dateline. The DM
asked Superintending Engineer GC Yadav to
set up a camp to rectify the mistakes of
electricity bills.

08
2NDFRONT
Swallow harsh words that will
hurt others- you will save yourself
and others from discomfort.
—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO Editor-in-Chief, First India
Gyanendra Kumar Shukla
Lucknow: In the run
up to the assembly elec-
tions of UP, All parties
are engaged in balanc-
ing the arithmetic of
votes. In such a situa-
tion, the castes that
play a decisive role in
elections are bound to
come in the limelight.
One such popular com-
munity is ‘Rajbhar’.
According to the re-
port of the Social Jus-
tice Committee, Rajb-
har community is
around 3% of the total
population of UP. But
in more than a hundred
seats from Purvanchal
to Awadh, their popula-
tion is significantly in a
decisive position in
electoral terms. Sukh-
dev Rajbhar, founding
member of BSP, was
one of the stalwart of
the Rajbhar communi-
ty. He was the Speaker
of the Legislative As-
sembly during Mayawa-
ti’s regime. Shortly be-
fore his death, SP Chief
Akhilesh Yadav him-
self reached Azamgarh
and met him, and in-
cluded his son Kamala-
kant in the SP. Another
BSP veteran Ram Achal
Rajbhar also joined the
SP. Obviously, through
these efforts, Akhilesh
tried to give a positive
message to the Rajbhar
community. In the pre-
sent scenario, Om
Prakash Rajbhar is,
seemingly, a very
effective leader of the
Rajbhars.
He started a cam-
paign to mobilize this
caste by forming the
SBSP in the year
2002. Although he
could get elector-
al success only
after an alliance
with the BJP in the
2017 elections, the party
could get four seats. At
the same time, BJP also
got electoral benefit
from this alliance. Com-
pared to the year 2012,
its votes tally in many
seats increased from
70k. It is believed that a
major contribution
was made by the
Rajbhar voters.
After OmPrakash
Rajbhar broke
the alliance, BJP
made every effort to
maintain its strong
foothold among Rajb-
har voters. At the same
time, Sakaldeep Rajb-
har of Ballia was made Rajya Sabha MP. BSP
also realizing the im-
portance of this caste
appointed Bhim Rajb-
har as the state presi-
dent of the party. At
the time of elections,
on whom will this com-
munity repose trust,
this picture is not clear
yet. But as far as the
message is concerned,
by forging an alliance
with Omprakash, the
SPhasdefinitelygained
an edge over the rest of
the parties.
RAJBHARS: A FORCE TO RECKON WITH
Rajbhar community is around
3% of the total population of UP
With 18% in Eastern UP, Rajbhars
weigh-in as a strong force
2
0
2
2 ELECTION
W
I
T
H
2
2 EL ON
W
IN WHICH CITIES?
Mahapanchayat organised by the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) in Mau. —FILE PHOTO
CBIregisters
graftcaseagainst
NTPCofficials
25-PCS officers allotted
2014-15 batch as IAS
Time to bid farewell to SP,
BSP,Cong: Keshav Prasad
First India Bureau
Lucknow: Central
Bureau of Investiga-
tion (CBI) on Satur-
day registered an
FIR against the
Chief Medical Of-
ficer (CMO) of Na-
tional Thermal Pow-
er Corporation
(NTPC) for allegedly
accepting foreign
trips as ‘favour’
from a supplier. The
Lucknow unit of
CBI has registered
an FIR under the
Prevention of Cor-
ruption Act against
Dr Narendra Mohan
Singh, the then CMO
of NTPC Hospital in
Unchahar, District
of UP.
The FIR reads
that preliminary en-
quiry was conduct-
ed relating to the
allegation of fund-
ing of air tickets
one Anoop Kumar
through M/s Make
My Trip, in June
2019, for the foreign
visit of Dr Naren-
dra Mohan Singh,
the then CMO,
NTPC, Unchahar,
and his wife Mrs
Prabha Singh, on
the assurance of
getting labour con-
tract in NTPC.
The beneficiary
Anoop Kumar
Sonkar, made an on-
line payment of Rs
1,49,621.70 from his
bank account in fa-
vour of M/s Make
My Trip, in June
2019 for the foreign
tour of Suspect. “Of-
ficer Dr N.M. Singh
and his wife Prabha
Singh went to Ma-
laysia and Singa-
pore on seven days
trip,” reads the FIR.
It has also been
learnt about the cor-
rupt practices and
demanding and ac-
cepting of bribe
money, by Dr N.M.
Singh in the
process of selection
of paramedical staff
on a contractual ba-
sis for the NTPC
Hospital. Following
vigilance enquiry
by NTPC, Dr N.M.
Singh has been
dismissed from
the services prior
to his normal
retirement on
July 2021.
Ahtesham Siddiqui
Lucknow: The Depart-
ment of Personnel and
Training (DOPT) has
allotted batches to 25 of-
ficers made IAS from
PCS of UP in the selec-
tion year 2020. 10 offic-
ers of UP were allotted
2014 batch, while 15 of-
ficers have been allot-
ted 2015 batch.
Ashok Kumar has got
the position just after
Brijesh Kumar Tyagi,
the promoted IAS offic-
er of 2014 batch selected
in seniority year 2019,
followed by Mahendra
Prasad, Gaurav Verma,
Rajneesh Chandra,
Manoj Kumar Rai, Ni-
dhi Srivastava, Khem
Pal Singh, Sanjay Chau-
han, Sunil Kumar
Chaudhary and San-
tosh Kumar. Sharma
has been given the
batch of 2014, followed
by Nidhi Gupta, the
senior-most IAS officer
of direct recruitment.
First India Bureau
Lucknow: UP Deputy
Chief Min Keshav Pras-
ad Maurya on Saturday
said the time has come
to bid complete farewell
to the Samajwadi Party
,
Bahujan Samaj Party
and Congress, and as-
serted that the BJP’s
victory march will con-
tinue in the state with
the support of OBCs.
His remarks come in
view of the assembly
polls in the state next
year. Addressing the
‘Samajik Pratinidhi
Sammelan’, Maurya
said, “Time has come to
bid complete farewell to
the trio of Samajwadi
Party, Bahujan Samaj
Party and Congress.”
The victory march of
the BJP will continue
with the support of
OBCs, who constitute 54
per cent of the voters.
MP Rajveer Singh on
the occasion said in the
2017 UP elections, the
BJP gave a slogan of
winning 265-plus seats,
and the party (and its al-
lies) won 325 seats.
This time, the party
has pledged to win over
300 seats, and the party
will win 350 seats,” he
said. Union Minister
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti
said that BJP is the only
party, in which there is
respect for all the sec-
tions of society
.
—PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATION
8 NEW DEPUTY COLLECTOR POSTED IN LKO
Dy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya
GANDHI FAMILY
ALSO NEEDS ITS
‘BHAKTS’
The decades gone by
in Indian politics
are a testamount as to
how the Gandhi family
and the Congress have
proved to be comple-
mentary to each other,
and on a checkerboard
whenever the hegemo-
ny of the Gandhi fami-
ly has been challenged
from within the Con-
gress, in order to save
their king and queen,
the games that even mi-
nor pawns have played
are plenty. Let go of
Prashant Kishor’s re-
marks about the Gan-
dhi family, let us talk
about the important
meeting of the Con-
gress Working Com-
mittee held in the
recent past. So
here are the
d e v e l o p -
ments as they
h a p p e n e d :
Before this
meeting, Ra-
hul Gandhi
holds an impor-
tant half-an-hour
meeting with
Tariq Hamid
Karra, a
senior leader of his
party who belongs to
Jammu and Kashmir.
Then both the leaders
leave to attend the Con-
gress Working Com-
mittee meeting. As
soon as Congress Work-
ing President Sonia
Gandhi’s passionate
speech in this impor-
tant meeting ends, Kar-
ra suddenly rises up
without any formal
role and starts speak-
ing loudly - ‘For us the
Gandhi family is the
Congress. And Con-
gress is the Gandhi
family and all those
who are present here
and consider Rahul
Gandhi as their leader,
then they all should
raise their hands. Gu-
lab Nabi Azad, who was
present in the meet-
ing, also had to
raise his hands.
It was Ambika
Soni and
Mukul Wasnik
who did not
pretend to sup-
port. After
this, Karra
shouted with
enthu-
siasm - ‘Those who are
traitors should be ex-
pelled from the party.’
Interestingly, the real
character of today’s
politics is formed by
mixing these speech-
less expressions.
WAS SHAHRUKH A
VICTIM OF
POLITICAL
VENDETTA?
Whatever hap-
pened with Ary-
an Khan, son of Bolly-
wood superstar Shah
Rukh Khan, had al-
ready been scripted.
According to reliable
sources, in the month
of August, Shahrukh
received a call from a
top official of the coun-
try who is considered
‘close’ to a certain poli-
tician. It is said that
‘Netaji’ wanted to do
his own mega-show in
Dubai, in which he
needed Shahrukh who
is known to be close to
the Royal family of
Saudi Arabia. However,
since Shah Rukh’s po-
litical commitment is
not a secret, he sought
two days’ time to think
over the proposal and
said that “he will call
and inform.” So when
he did not call back the
said officer even after
two days, then on the
third day again the
same officer’s call came
and this time Shah-
rukh refused bluntly.
The officer asked Shah-
rukh for the last time
in a warning tone, ‘Is
this your final deci-
sion?’ Shahrukh said-
‘Yes, I thought a lot
about it but there is
nothing that I can do
about it.’ Then as in
every Bollywood film,
there occurred a hero-
antagonist confronta-
tion, a battle, struggle
and the stubbornness
to give everything in
this fight, all that hap-
pened is in front of eve-
ryone!
YECHURY ON
TARGET OF HIS
OWN PARTY
The three-day meet-
ing of the Central
Committee of the
Marxist Party was con-
vened in New Delhi,
but in this meeting,
most leaders seemed to
be angry with their
party general secre-
tary Sitaram Yechury.
Yechury was also asked
why his political think-
ing is centered around
Sonia Gandhi’s
aura? One
party leader,
excited with
the develop-
ments, went
to length to ask
his party gen-
eral secretary
that he
should clarify his role
whether it was Amar
Singh’s or Bhagat Sin-
gh’s? While Yechuri
had come thinking he
would lobby for yet an-
other term for himself
as General Secretary,
on the other hand he
was to deal with such
unpleasant questions.
As soon as it came to
his second term, the
voices of collective pro-
test of many commu-
nist leaders started
coming to the fore -
‘The party has pro-
gressed on its own in
Kerala, you have no
contribution in it.
What happened to us in
Bengal is in front of
everyone’. Yechury
tried to pacify
the agitated
workers and
talked about
the outbreak
of Corona
in which he
has lost his
loved ones
while citing the exam-
ple of Cuba. But the
leaders of his party
were in no mood to re-
main silent and started
saying - ‘Leave Russia
and Cuba and talk
about your country.
Why are we on such a
slope?’ Surely Yechury
also has to find answers
to these questions.
WHY IS PRIYANKA
AT ‘LOGGERHEADS’
WITH SIDHU?
Navjot Singh Sidhu,
known for his big
words, was once a ‘blue
eyed boy’ of Congress
General Secretary Pri-
yanka Gandhi. In order
to get Sidhu the com-
mand of Punjab, Pri-
yanka had also made a
ruckus with mother
Sonia and brother Ra-
hul. But what did Pri-
yanka get in return? A
resignation threat from
Sidhu? Priyanka was so
hurt by Sidhu’s resig-
nation letter to Sonia
that it is being said that
she has stopped picking
up Sidhu’s calls these
days. When Harish
Chaudhary of Ra-
jasthan was made in-
charge of Punjab in
place of Harish Rawat,
he was given a clear in-
struction from 10 Jan-
path that ‘no matter
what happens, he
should not go to Sidhu’s
house to meet him.’
Anyway, the newly ap-
pointed Chief Minister
of Punjab Charanjit
Singh Channi has con-
trolled the Congress’
‘downfall’ to a great ex-
tent there. When Sidhu
was eager to go to Lakh-
impur Kheri, it was ex-
plained to him by the
Congress not to sit on
fast, as it would divert
media attention from
Priyanka’, but where
was Sidhu going to fol-
low, he was just taking
politics as his own per-
sonal play field!
FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL
BY TRIDIB
RAMAN
The author is a journalist
and political commentator
and views expressed are
his personal
Rahul Gandhi Sitaram Yechury
Shah Rukh Khan
Priyanka Gandhi
Navjot Singh Sidhu
www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia LUCKNOW | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021

he grand finale of
theAll-IndiaBeau-
ty Pageants First
Miss India’21 and
First Miss India
Teen’21 was held
at Novotel Dona
Sylvia Resort, Goa on
Saturday, 30 October.
Many celebrities and
dignitaries graced the
mega-event. Jagdeesh
Chandra and Bolly-
wood celebrity Hina
Khancrownedthewin-
ners during the cere-
mony
. The First Miss
India 2021 title was
baggedbyPearlAgar-
walwithLekhUtaiah
as 1st runner up and
Shreya Gupta as the
2nd runner up while
Rayna Sikri was de-
clared as the First Miss In-
dia Teen 2021 with Shubhi
Dhaneta as 1st runner up
and Mrunmayi Barve as
the 2nd runner up.
The scintillating evening
in the mesmerising land of
picturesque beaches began
by welcoming Jagdeesh
Chandra, the man who
made it possible for every
younggirltodreambigwith
confidence so that she may
reach greater heights. Fa-
mousanchorSimranAhuja
set the mood swinging by
introducing the finalists of
the First Miss India’21 and
First Miss India Teen’21.
“A show of such magni-
tude wouldn’t have been
possible without the sup-
port of show directors,”
said Simran, while intro-
ducing Gaurav Gaur and
Ashok Singh.
Supermodel and influ-
encer Hina Khan, celebrity
Fashion Designer Ken
Ferns, Actress, VJ and su-
permodel Deepti Gujral,
Supermodel and Miss Uni-
verse India 2015 first run-
ner up Natasha Assadi and
Editor, First India Anita
Hada were present as the
jury on the occasion.
Indian fashion and com-
mercial photographer Dab-
boo Ratnani couldn’t make
it to the event as he tested
positive for Covid-19. We
thank him for his sense of
responsibility and care.
The models walked the
runway and introduced
themselves.Showstoppers
Akansha Bhalla and
Swati Jangid aced the
ramp walk wearing
Ashfaque Ahmed,
showcasing the de-
signer’s ravishing
collection.
Hina Khan on
the occasion
said, “Trophy
is an added
privilege, I
am sure the
girls will take
so much confidence
from here. I am glad to be a
part of the event. Our coun-
tryisfullof talentedpeople
butwelackconfidenceand
I’m so happy to see that
this show provides a plat-
form for these models to
grow into bold and beau-
tiful women.”
LUCKNOW, SUNDAY
OCTOBER 31, 2021
www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia
facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia 09
THE FIRST MISS
INDIA QUEENS
Jagdeesh
Chandra also
declared the
date for the
First Miss
India 2022- on
18 September
at Jaipur to the
ecstatic
audience!
MITALI DUSAD
mitalidusad01@gmail.com
T
The grand finale of the All-India Beauty Pageants First Miss India’21 and First Miss
India Teen’21 was held at Novotel Dona Sylvia Resort, Goa on Saturday 30 October.
Many celebrities and dignitaries graced the mega-event. Jagdeesh Chandra and
Bollywood celebrity Hina Khan crowned the winners during a glittering ceremony.
The First Miss India 2021 title was bagged by Pearl Agarwal with Lekh Utaiah as 1st
runner up and Shreya Gupta as the 2nd runner up while Rayna Sikri was declared as
the First Miss India Teen 2021 with Shubhi Dhaneta as 1st runner up and Mrunmayi
Barve as the 2nd runner up.
THE CROWNED BEAUTIES
Jagdeesh Chandra with (L-R): Mrunmayi Barve, Rayna Sikri,
Shubhi Dhaneta and Hina Khan
Simran Ahuja
(L-R): Hina Khan, Natasha Assadi
and Deepti Gujral
—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO
Jagdeesh Chandra with (L-R) Ashok, Gaurav, Kriti, Shreya,
Pearl, Lekh, Deepti, Ken, Natasha, Aakriti and Anita

10-11
ETC
City First celebrates the awesome girls who won
the Special Category Awards which were
conferred on the basis of their performance
during the 3 day stay and mentoring at Novotel,
Goa. CONGRATULATIONS!
Showcasing
Showcasing
THEIR BEST!
THEIR BEST!
Taruna
Thapa
MISS
Confident
Sargam
Sharma
MISS
Beautiful
Smile
Navya
Singh
MISS
Photogenic
Rishika
Chandnani
MISS
Talented
Ritu
Lakhina
MISS
Voice FMI
Teen
Priya
Yadav
MISS
Beautiful
Hair
Priya
Arora
MISS
Beauty
Brains
Lekh
Uthaiah
MISS
Bold
Beautiful
Shubhi
Dhaneta
MISS
Ramp
Walk
Pearl
Agarwal
MISS
Fashion
Icon
Shreya
Gupta
MISS
Beautiful
Eyes
Navyashree
Shetty
MISS
Voice FMI
Shreya
Khanna
MISS
Beautiful
Smile
Kavya
Kapoor
MISS
Congeniality
Shreet
Chande
MISS
Body
Beautiful
Divisha
Paliwal
MISS
Beautiful
Hair
Angel
Sain
MISS
Body
Beautiful
Anita
Kriplani
MISS
Talented
Aanchal
Ajaipal
MISS
Rising
Star
Kritika
Swarnkar
MISS
Flawless
Skin
Tanvi
Purohit
MISS
Ramp
Walk
Yashika
Kumawat
MISS
Beautiful
Eyes
Suman
Manva
MISS
Beauty
Brains
Kanishka
Bhagat
MISS
Confident
Chahak
Bhandula
MISS
Photogenic
—PHOTOS
BY
MUKESH
KIRADOO

12
CITY BUZZ
GET VACCINATED
STAY MASKED
On Friday, numerous competitions were conducted to select teams for Drill, Guard of Honour,
Best Cadet and Cultural Programme of Lucknow NCC Group for the Inter Group Competition
being held at Noida from November 08 to 28. Finally, 27 cadets of Army, 16 cadets of Navy and
16 cadets of Air Wing have been selected for Inter Group Competition.
On the auspicious occasion of Dhanvantari Day on Saturday, a programme was
conducted by the President of Voice of Ayurveda, Dr Shailesh Rai. Dr Anshuman Rai,
Dr Ashok Pandey, Dr JK Shahi were present on the occasion. Arvind Kumar Sharma
presided over as the Chief Guest and encouraged everyone to promote Ayurveda
medicine and surgery.
Comedians Raju Srivastava
and Sunil Pal tickled the
funny bones of the audience
as they performed at the
Diwali Mela held at Jhulala
Ghat in Lucknow on Friday.
—PHOTOS BY SUMIT KUMAR
On the 83rd birth anniversary of Padma Shri awardee, Dr Yogesh Praveen, the novel
‘Insaaf Ka Chand’ written by advocate Saran, dedicated to the life and work of Dr
Yogesh Praveen, was released at Urdu Akademi, Lucknow. The book launch was
graced by the presence of Brajesh Pathak, Minister of Law Justice, Additional
energy resources and Political pension, the government of Uttar Pradesh as the Chief
Guest. Justice Raghvendra Kumar and Viraj Sagar Das, President B.B.D. group graced
the occasion with their kind presence. The book launch was held in the honour of late Dr
Yogesh Praveen, prolific Indian author known for his expertise in the History and Culture of
Avadh, specifically Lucknow. —PHOTOS BY ASHOK DUTTA
A reception and felicitation ceremony of new patrons and life members was organised on
Friday at Agarwal Institute of Education, Motinagar. Sudhir S Halwasia congratulated the
new members on the occasion.
he colours of royal
silhouettes and fine
craftsmanship are a
rare combination to
be found in the world
of Khadi but, design-
er Himmat Singh es-
tablished Khadi as the silhou-
ette of royalty at the recent-
ly concluded Lucknow
Khadi Fashion Show.
At the Show, Singh pre-
sented a dedicated collec-
tion of regalia handcrafted
on 10 ensembles for a line of
ethnic menswear. The styles
varied from classic tuxedos
to Bandhgala and many Indo-
western outfits.
Lucknow Khadi Fashion
Show, a one of a kind initia-
tive by First India CMD,
Jagdeesh Chandra and Uttar
Pradesh Khadi Board, was an
inspiration for elevating
Khadi on a widespread scale.
Himmat Singh is a profi-
cient designer ca-
tering to the clien-
tele of many ce-
lebrities like
Amitabh, Ab-
hishek and Aish-
warya Rai Bach-
chan, Rajeev
Khandelwal, and
Hollywood singer/
actor Nick Jonas.
The designs pre-
sented by Himmat
Singh were a testi-
mony of putting Kha-
di into the limelight.
Himmat Singh's
sequence had 10
handmade and
custom-tailoreden-
sembles,allshowcas-
ing fine craftsmanship
of Rajasthan. The theme
of his collection revolved
around royal ensembles
with khadi and velve.
The showstopper outfit
was a traditional Khadi
and silk embroidered Jodh-
puri button-down Bandh-
gala worn by Gaurav Gaur,
fashion mentor and director,
Elite Miss Rajasthan who
walked the ramp as a show
stopper for the designer.
MONICA
PRABHAKAR
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
CELEBRITY DESIGNER HIMMAT SINGH ESTABLISHED
KHADI AS THE SILHOUETTE OF ROYALTY AT THE
RECENTLY CONCLUDED LUCKNOW KHADI FASHION
ART MANIA!
GO LOCAL!
The virtual art exhibition and studio visit, Open Spaces,
presented by Asthana Art Forum will present its 22nd
Episode on Sunday wherein eminent contemporary
artist, Satadru Sovan will showcase his art and will be in
conversation with the art curator, Aakshat Sinha from New
Delhi. The virtual exhibition will be hosted live on Zoom at
3:30 pm with Georgina Maddox, Independent Art curator
critic as the special guest.
B’DAY
The birthday of IAS Jiwesh
Nandan and IPS Rajeev
Narain Mishra was on Sat-
urday, October 30. We wish
them all the best!
COMPETITION OF CADETS!
REMEMBERING THE LAUREATE
TO NEW BEGINNINGS
MR FUNNY BONES!
CELEBRITY DESIGNER HIMMAT SINGH ESTABLISHED
ROYAL AVATAR
ROYAL AVATAR
OF KHADI
OF KHADI
Himmat Singh’s show sequence
Showstopper
Gaurav Gaur
Honey Thakur
—PHOTOS
BY
SUMIT
KUMAR
T
Inspired by Adani Lucknow International Airport Limited's motto,
‘Get Way to Goodness’ on the theme of One Nation Billion Celebra-
tion, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is all geared up
for the enthralling Diwali celebrations.
ALL DECKED UP!

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